The Sunday Mirror says New England Sports Ventures were unimpressed with Hodgsonâs dealings in the transfer market in the summer.

Wing wizard Joe Cole was brought in on a free transfer from champions Chelsea, but on wages of Â£120,000-a-week, while Milan Jovanovic was also recruited as a free agent. Another Â£20million was spent on Raul Meireles, Christian Poulsen and Paul Konchesky.

At 27, Meireles is the youngest of Liverpoolâs new boys.

That prompted Henry to appoint Damien Comolli as director of football this week without Hodgsonâs knowledge.

Hodgson said ahead of this afternoonâs big game with Chelsea: âI wasnât involved in the appointment because that would defeat the object of it.

âThe object for them is to put a team together that they want, not for me to populate the club with my friends.â

Comolli will be tasked with identifying and recruiting new players, with Liverpoolâs new owners ready to risk the friction that may cause.